Pregnancy Care in Scotland

Ready Steady Baby! helps you get ready for parenthood by taking you through the whole of your pregnancy from the early symptoms, through the antenatal care you will receive and on to advice on how to get through labour and the birth.

It provides a rough guide on maternity leave and benefits and can help you with the care of your baby for the first 12 months.

You’ve made the decision to try to for a baby. This section tells you how to get your body ready for pregnancy to keep you healthy, how to give your baby the best start in life, and how to improve your chances of getting pregnant.

Knowing what may happen during labour will help you feel prepared. Labour is different for every woman – and often for every baby she has. Health professionals describe it as being in three stages. Knowing what is likely to happen during each stage will help you plan and prepare for your baby's arrival – something you may feel both excited and nervous about at the same time.

In the first few days after the birth, you and your new baby are getting to know each other. There’s a huge amount to learn – find out more about the best way to feed your baby, what practical steps you will need to take, and how you may be feeling.

Being a parent is exciting – but at times you may feel anxious. Here you can learn about what to expect from your growing baby, as well as information on immunisations, postnatal depression and weaning.